


The Practice Room

by youngdo



Series: DoTae TwitFic Narrations [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, TaeDo, dotae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26446426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngdo/pseuds/youngdo
Summary: Doyoung and Taeyong finally talked it out in the practice room.This is a narration for a twitter sns au.
Relationships: Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Lee Taeyong
Series: DoTae TwitFic Narrations [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922452
Kudos: 128





	The Practice Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> If you are here, chances are that you came from twitter.  
> If you're here and you aren't from twitter, i suggest you read or like, have a quick skim through [ this twitfic ](https://twitter.com/makkeuri_/status/1286919286666047488?s=21) so this fic would make kinda sense. Anyway, this is 1/2 of the narration parts for that twitfic.
> 
> Enjoy!

The air conditioning was terrible. The guard told him it was up for maintenance and it should not be used for the meantime, but Doyoung thought it wouldn’t hurt to use it for a short while. The temperature was stuck to a sensible ten degrees centigrade, something Doyoung in his thin, white cotton tee did not appreciate. If only he knew the temperature would be this low, he would have brought the black jacket Taeil had given him (“I rarely use it anyway. You can have it. Treat it as a remembrance of this horrible incident,” was what Taeil told him when the thing was passed on to him; he’s glad the older man did it nevertheless). Turning off the conditioning would have been another great resolve to his chilling complication, but in his defense, the room was poorly ventilated, no passage in sight for fresh air. He decided he would rather endure the cold, sitting and curling himself like a ball, rubbing his arms repeatedly in attempt to keep himself warm, than sweat and possibly suffocate from the heat if the conditioning is off.

He looked at his phone, expecting a message or any sort on his screen. There were quite a few: new followers on both his Instagram and twitter accounts, a message from Jaehyun asking where he was, and an invite from Donghyuck on this new game he was currently obsessed with. There were a lot to check out, but he did not bother doing that. _There’s nothing from him_ he told himself. He checked the last message he sent. It was read exactly 45 minutes ago. The dorms were 15-minute-walk away. Taeyong would have gotten here and back to the dorms with that much time, so he couldn’t help but wonder that was probably exactly what the other did. He probably thought this was not an excellent idea. He perhaps changed his mind. It’s possible he didn’t want to talk and make up with him anymore. But that couldn’t be it right? He knew Taeyong would be decent enough to inform him if he could not make it. He couldn’t help himself but really wonder. Maybe something bad happened. Maybe Mark and Johnny pulled a stupid prank on him again. Maybe he had simply forgotten.

He was cut out of his reverie when the door creaked open and revealed a familiar figure outside. Doyoung shot up his head, looking at the man who had already landed his eyes on him. The hood of his jacket and the mask he was wearing covered most of his face, but Doyoung was sure from looking at his eyes, Taeyong was smiling. The crescent his eyes had become and the slight wrinkles it formed under them were enough evidence for his simple observation to be proven right.

“I was afraid you already left,” Taeyong closed the door behind him gently, removing his mask afterwards. “I mean, I would have if the man I’m waiting took this long to arrive.”

Doyoung observed Taeyong from his head down to his feet. He was wearing a grey hoodie (good for him, he thought). His hair completely covered, forehead completely exposed and Doyoung couldn’t tell if the hair was tied in a ponytail or it was gelled and pushed down to his back. Taeyong was bringing lots of plastic bags in his left hand and a familiar black jacket in his right. Taeyong approached the other to the other side of the room, landing the bags safely on the floor and handing the jacket to Doyoung, in which Doyoung looked at him in daze.

“I knew the air conditioning is broken today and I just guessed you didn’t so I brought your favorite jacket.”

“That’s not my favorite,” Doyoung simply said as he grabbed the garment from the other, instantly wearing it to relieve himself and his bones from possibly chilling to death. “But thank you anyway. You could’ve caught me dead here, frozen on the spot if you came any minute later.”

Another smile formed on Taeyong’s lips, but this time, it’s entirely without any hindrance. His smile was for Doyoung to relish completely. The smile was so contagious it brought a smile on Doyoung’s face as well. Taeyong was secretly glad seeing the other with that gummy smile on his face. He worried the tension would be thick when he entered the room, he’s afraid he would be able to cut it with a knife. But with the other smiling all sunshine and rainbows on him, he knew exactly he had nothing to worry about. Doyoung patted the spot beside him, signalling Taeyong to sit beside him. The latter gladly did anyway, shivers run down his spines when both of their completely clothed shoulders rub each other at the process.

“What are those plastic bags for?” Doyoung inquired as he took another glance at the plastic bags on the floor. He took a sniff as the air around him started to change its scent. A faint smell of food lingered in the room. “Barbeque? Did you bring food?”

“I figured we will be here for a long time so I brought us dinner,” Taeyong shrugged as he took glance on the plastic bags as well. Suddenly, the interest on the plastic bags lying on the floor increased by significant amount. “We have a lot to talk about. More like, I have a lot I want to tell you.”

Doyoung shifted his gaze and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. The jacket was like an answered prayer, he thought. He didn’t mind curling up to keep his warmth this entire talk, but he much preferred laying down as freely as he wanted without minding the temperature drop his body would have definitely experienced. Taeyong crossed his legs in an attempt to make himself comfortable as well. He thought it would be easy like that. The numerous times he shifted from one position to another proven him otherwise.

Silence engulfed the room as the two decided not to say a single word to each other after their little interaction. The silent roar of the insides of the air conditioner managed to invade entirely the room, conquering even the faintest sound of Doyoung’s breathing and Taeyong’s speeding heartbeat. It was deafening, Taeyong thought. He knew this would be nerve-wracking, but he didn’t expect it to be this nerve-wracking at all. He wanted to say something, but when his mouth opened, there was nothing; no sound had come out. It was probably his nerves or worse, his voice was inconveniently missing at the moment. He figured it was the former, but the probability of the latter was still there. He heaved a sigh, a long one, hoping it would help him ease his nerves.

“Don’t be nervous,” Taeyong heard the man beside him talk, if it was for him or Doyoung was telling it more to himself, he’s not sure, but he would pretend it was for him anyway.

“It’s just that,” Taeyong surprisingly found his voice back. He gulped before looking at Doyoung who was already looking at him expectantly. “I don’t think I deserve this at all. I didn’t think it would be that easy to persuade you to have this talk with me. I thought I would need to ask a million times before this happens.”

As if he can feel the uneasiness building inside him, Taeyong felt Doyoung gently squeezing onto his forearms with a reassuring smile on his face, gesturing him to calm down. It didn’t fail, not a little bit. Doyoung is so good at putting peace on Taeyong and he always does it so effortlessly. Taeyong pressed his lips to a thin line, forcing himself to avert his gaze away from Doyoung’s face. He didn’t think he should have this. Not when he was the reason Doyoung experienced nothing but pain these past two years. Not when he witnessed how he became everyone’s punching bag online and he never did a thing to defend him. Lord, he didn’t deserve to have this moment with him. He didn’t deserve to have the chance to talk it out with him. He didn’t deserve it, but he will use this chance to apologize to Doyoung. He may not be forgiven immediately, but Doyoung deserved that apology a hundred percent.

“I was a terrible boyfriend to you,” Taeyong gathered all the courage he had to continue talking. With Doyoung’s hand still on his arm, he didn’t expect it to be that easy. “I’m wrong that I broke up with you when you needed me the most. I was so selfish during that time. I only thought about myself. I didn’t give myself time to think about what could’ve happened to you and I decided impulsively out of anger. I should be one of your safe havens, but I became a reason why you lived a miserable life these past two years.”

Their eyes met again finally. Doyoung clearly was holding back tears, Taeyong could confidently conclude, but for what reason, he wasn’t sure. He’s not the one to judge though as he’s holding back himself.

“You have gone through so much. People attacked you for all the wrong and stupid reasons. Twitter treated you and Jaehyun like punching bags. You never deserved any of that.”

Something stung in Taeyong’s throat from all this keeping his tears from falling. Nevertheless, a tear dropped already from his eyes, and he held tighter onto Doyoung’s hand on his arms in attempt to not let the tears stream on his face (he didn’t know he was already holding him and he was surprised but not at all taken aback in any way).

“I am sorry. I am really sorry. _Fuck_ I should’ve done this a long time ago,” despite his mighty attempts, Taeyong had finally broke down. Tears stained on his cheeks. Vision was too blurry but he could still see and recognize Doyoung’s face despite the hindrance. “I should be the one feeling all your pain. I should be the one who was being endlessly attacked by people. I should be the one bearing yours and Jaehyun’s pain. I was the wrong one here. I deserved the pain you feel. You don’t─”

Taeyong felt arms around him. Taeyong felt warmth enveloping him. Doyoung locked him in a gentle embrace, and Taeyong felt safe and vulnerable at the same time. He couldn’t see but he could feel it. He knew Doyoung’s already a crying mess like him, but he didn’t bring it up.

“Stop saying that, Taeyong,” Doyoung managed to speak as his tears subsided. The man’s ability to easily get over crying and calm himself after a short moment still amazes Taeyong until this day. “Nobody deserved this. Not me. Not you. Not Jaehyun. Not anyone.”

“Why are you still like this to me?” Taeyong asked, more to himself. “Don’t show me mercy. I don’t deserve it. I deserve your anger. I deserve your wrath. Hurt me if you would. Do anything to me so you can get revenge from whatever I made you through.”

“I can’t do that to you,” Doyoung silently responded, breaking the hug to look at the other in the eye. Taeyong’s tears stopped streaming, but the stains still remained on his cheeks. Doyoung offered him another reassuring smile as he wiped the tears on the other’s face gently with his thumbs. “I can forgive you without doing you any harm.”

“But that’s unfair!” Taeyong insisted, pushing away Doyoung’s hands on his face by wiping the tears on his own. “I made your life a hell hole.”

“That does not mean I should make yours as well,” Doyoung replied. “I knew how terrible it was. I wouldn’t want you or anyone else go through it. Not at all.”

“But I insist!”

Doyoung shook his head in disbelief. “Are you secretly a masochist or something? Do you have a spank kink now?”

“I─ what the hell don’t shift topics here, Doyoung!”

“Just answer me first.”

“That question is not relevant.”

“And so is your request of being hit by me.”

“But,” Taeyong cut his own sentence, figuring this would lead to nowhere as Doyoung would surely not do whatever his crazy mind has thought would be enough to be a compensation for all the wrong he had done before to him. He just sighed. “I just couldn’t think of anything I could do that’s enough to make it all up for you.”

“You think me hurting you would do? Taeyong you’re out of your mind,” Doyoung shook his head another time, not comprehending how the other’s mind works right now. “Well, you brought food. I guess that’s enough of a compensation.”

“Three bags of different food for two years of agony? That doesn’t sound right.”

“Taeyong, stop!” Doyoung had his hands pulling out his hair this time. He didn’t know Taeyong could be this handful sometimes. “There’s nothing to compensate, alright?! If I want to forgive you, I’ll do it willingly and not because you jumped in front of a train, sat on an electric chair, or voluntarily got bitten by a snake just so you could feel the same pain I felt these past years.”

Taeyong slightly nodded, mumbling a silent _touché_ , deciding this was better than everything Doyoung just mentioned a while ago. He would not stake it. Doyoung might decide to let him do any of those.

The room went silent again after the playful argument they just had, but this time, it’s more comfortable than awkward. The two were just doing random things: playing with the strings on their jackets, knocking knees once in a while, chewing the bottom of their lips. They were still throwing each other short glances, putting up a smile every time they catch each other’s eyes. Taeyong had something to ask, but he couldn’t whether it’s worth it destroying this comfort with each other side-by-side by breaking the silence. He wouldn’t know the answer if he goes otherwise anyway.

“So,” Taeyong cautiously started, garnering Doyoung’s attention. “Was I forgiven now?”

Doyoung just smiled at him, that type of smile that appears before a joyful laugh, a laugh out of joy. He was unsure whether that meant yes, or if that meant anything at all, so Taeyong returned the smile with his own, a doubtful one, more of a grimace.

“Before I do that, I want to ask you something.”

Taeyong visibly gulped, suddenly feeling nervous at the sudden urge of the other to inquire something. He nodded nonetheless, prompting the other to keep on with the question he was about to ask,

“Why did you hate Jaehyun so much that time? What did he ever do to you?”

He did not see this coming at all. Taeyong expected a whole other variety of questions to be thrown at him, but this one isn’t one of those. There’s no use of keeping silent now. Doyoung had to know anyway.

“Just so you know, both of us have resolved our issues now. I don’t have any anger building for him anymore. He has apologized and I have forgiven. Gotta let you know just in case,” Taeyong begun his statement. Doyoung nodded to prompt him to continue and to let him know he understood.

“He told me something really controversial that time. He was completely drunk that time, intoxicated maybe. He told me I was the reason why he’s going through that phase, why he let himself drown in alcohol. He told me I stole the man he loves from him, that I stole you from him. Do you know that Jaehyun has feelings for you until now?”

Doyoung’s mouth was opened wide after he heard what Taeyong just said. The latter expected the reaction. Jaehyun was a wimp, Taeyong was sure of that, so there was no way he had confessed to Doyoung after Taeyong broke up with him. Jaehyun didn’t have the nerve to do that, maybe that or there’s another reason but Taeyong doubt that was it.

“J-Jaehyun’s in love w-with m-me?” Doyoung stuttered, still in disbelief of what he just found out. “T-this is a revelation, Jesus. So that’s why you’re angry at him? I understand you now.”

“Well, it’s just not that,” Taeyong cleared his throat as he thought of a way to word this as least offensive as possible. Doyoung just anticipated willingly. “He also made me think that you’re using me as a rebound only, that you’re using me to forget him, but you’re still madly in love with him. He kept on telling me he would make you fall for him again,” Taeyong observed the other’s reaction cautiously. Too bad, he couldn’t figure out what Doyoung was thinking about from the look of his face. There’s just no expression, no life showing on his very face right now.

“I understand now,” Doyoung nodded as if he had been enlightened just now. “I understand why you reacted that way that day.”

Taeyong still had to ask that one question that lingered in his mind for too long after that outburst from Jaehyun, that one question that caused him the most distress, anxiety, paranoia. He figured if there was a right timing to ask that, it would be right now.

“Doyoung,” he called the attention of the other. Doyoung faced him, eyes slightly wide at the sudden call of his name. “Is it true though?”

Doyoung wanted to pretend he didn’t see the hurt in Taeyong’s eyes right now. Doyoung wanted to pretend he haven’t heard him and just respond with a what. It would not matter though. Taeyong would still look sad. Taeyong would just repeat the same question, or even add more context to it, which would for sure just make him feel worse.

Doyoung thought if there was a good timing to explain his side of the story, finally, it would be right now. Now was the right time to tell Taeyong the truth. Now was the right time for Taeyong to know there was nothing for him to worry about. They kept their eye contact. Nobody dared to blink, not even once. Taeyong’s eyes were still showcasing that uneasiness and sadness.

“Do you want to know why Jaehyun and I were out that day?”

Taeyong was taken aback by the sudden change of topic. He should not read to it so deep, but perhaps the lack of answer from the answer only solidified his doubts before. Maybe he truly was just a rebound after all. Maybe Doyoung really never truly loved him before. Maybe it was always Jaehyun all this time.

But he didn’t want only assumptions. He wanted a solid answer.

“Doyoung answer me,” Taeyong responded. “Is it true? Was Jaehyun telling me the truth that time?”

“Taeyong, do you want to know why Jaehyun and I were out that time?” Doyoung ignored the other’s repeated inquiry and repeated his own. Taeyong still insisted.

“Doyoung answer my question firs─”

“Taeyong, you’re not letting me explain again!” Doyoung yelled much to Taeyong’s surprise. “If you give me a chance this time, you’d know the answer to your question anyway. So let me ask you again. Do you wanna know why we were out that day?”

Taeyong wanted to insist his own questioned be answered first, but he knew better not to interrupt Doyoung anymore because the last time he did it, their relationship fell apart. He nodded his head, anticipating whatever Doyoung was about to tell him. Doyoung took a deep breath.

“Jaehyun told me you’d be working with Kim Sangjoong, that horrible guy,” Taeyong’s eyes widened. He kept it a secret to him for obvious reasons. Why did Jaehyun tell him that?

“Don’t be mad at Jaehyun because he told me about it even though it supposed to be a secret from me. I’m glad he did though, because I already know how terrible of a man he is.”

It was Taeyong’s turn to be shocked at the sudden revelation.

“We had a friend before, Jaehyun and I. Yoojin-ah. The three of us trained together for a long time. He debuted before us, but his stardom didn’t last long. He took away his own life because he was framed. He worked with that horrible producer and he was framed for a crime he never did. Yoojin-ah was overwhelmed and became so mentally unhealthy that he escaped all his trouble in the means of death. A terrible demise.”

“The day the paparazzi caught Jaehyun and I together was the day we had a talk to the cops Chanyeol-hyung entrusted us with. If you remember Kyungsoo-hyung from the current controversy, he’s one of them. We were out that day because we all planned this strategically. We talked to them on how to end Kim Sangjoong’s evil doings for once. We did this because we don’t want anyone to have the same experience as Yoojin anymore. We did this because I’m afraid he would do the same to you. We did this because I wanted to protect you.”

If there’s something Taeyong wanted to tell himself was that he’s a literal dumbass.

Tears were prompting to escape Taeyong’s eyes once again. He felt horrible, like shit. He felt bad, like shit. He couldn’t believe he let Doyoung suffer through all of these when all Doyoung wanted was to protect him. The want of Doyoung punching him just raised to a significantly huge amount. He didn’t deserve him.

Doyoung watched Taeyong as he ugly-cry his way to him, embracing him and locking him in his super tight grip. Doyoung hugged back, patting the other’s back to comfort him.

“You probably got your answer to your question already, I suppose.”

Taeyong’s tears seem to stop as he calmed himself, breathes in and out slowly, enjoying the pats Doyoung was giving him. He was so grateful to have someone like Doyoung in his life. He was lucky to have someone like Doyoung care for him so much. If only he could have him again.

“Thank you for doing that for me. Words aren’t enough to tell you how much I appreciate.”

“I also did it for Yoojin, but yeah. I’ve done it mostly for you.”

“Jesus, I love you so much, Doyoung. You have no idea but I─”

_Shit, I did not just day that._

Still not breaking the hug, Taeyong realized what he just said and was he feeling awkward now? Probably. Did he want the earth to swallow him whole the very moment? Definitely. But would he want to break the hug? Never, he said.

Doyoung, on the other hand was not feeling awkward at all. In fact, he felt the butterflies going wild in his stomach. He felt like a highschool girl seeing his crush. Jesus, those three words really could turn him insane. His smiles never reached both of his ears until now. That’s a metaphor but it’s just like how he felt it is.

“I’m hungry,” Taeyong tried to break the ice. “Let’s eat before we go home?”

Doyoung just nodded.


End file.
